Yoga For Weight Loss: 6 Poses To Tone Your Muscles

Yoga for weight loss can be achieved, not only for building muscle and burning calories, but because doing yoga engages your mind—and strengthens your mind-body connection. After all, it’s your mind that steers you toward a healthy lifestyle: wholesome foods, moderate exercise, sufficient sleep and a balance between work and play. Yoga will also increase your range of motion and make you more limber, which will in turn make other types of activity more enjoyable. These yoga asanas for weight loss focus on strengthening the larger muscle groups, including the legs, abdominals (core) and shoulders, which will help you burn more calories, even after your workout. To increase your metabolism, make sure you breathe deeply as you hold each yoga asana, and concentrate on the feeling of your muscles firing.



1. Vrkasana or Tree Pose
Although tree pose improves physical and mental balance, it’s also an excellent asana that anchors a yoga for weight loss routine, as it is weight-bearing and strengthens muscles in the legs and core. If you wobble, tighten your hamstrings, quadriceps and abdominals. You’ll feel more stable—and put those major muscle groups to work.

How to do it
Stand with your feet together, hands at your sides and your eyes forward. As you exhale, bend your left knee and grip your right leg with the left foot, heel in front, toe in back. Aim for your calf the first time, and as your fitness and balance improve, grip your right leg above the knee, with the left heel on the front of the thigh, and the left toes pointing back. (Never directly on the knee.) Inhale and raise your arms over your head like the branches of a tree. It helps to focus your eyes on a spot directly in front of you—a picture on the wall, or even a real tree. Imagine zipping your muscles tight from your toes to the top of your head, especially your core muscles. Hold tree pose for 6 to 8 breaths, then repeat standing on your left leg.



2. Urdhva Mukha Svanasana or Upward-Facing Dog
Upward-facing dog plays a key role in yoga for weight loss for by building muscle mass in the shoulders, arms, core and legs. To lift your hips off the floor, tighten your rear and thigh muscles.


How to do it
Lie face down with the tops of your feet on the mat. Place your hands in “push-up” position, but near your waist (instead of below your shoulders). Spread your fingers wide and feel the energy in your hands. Exhale, and press your hands into the mat and slightly back, then straighten your arms to lift your torso, hips and legs off the floor. Your weight is distributed between your hands and the tops of your feet. Pushing your hips forward, pull your shoulders back a little to broaden and open your chest. Look forward and breathe, working up to holding this yoga for weight loss pose for 6 to 8 breaths.



3. Adho Mukha Svanasana or Downward-Facing Dog
Following “up dog,” “down dog” feels like a relief, as you go from a backbend to a forward bend. As you gain more flexibility in your lower back, going from “up” to “down” and back again will feel like a massage for your spine. Downward-facing dog works your shoulders, arms and wrists, giving your upper body a long, lean look and supporting weight loss by working those muscles. By lowering the head below the heart, this yoga for weight loss asana also boosts your metabolism and combats fatigue.

How to do it
From upward-facing dog, turn your toes so the balls of your feet face the floor, then raise your rear and push back with your arms at the same time. Sometimes it helps to imagine a string pulling your hips toward the ceiling. Adjust your body so your weight is evenly distributed between your feet and hands. Relax your head and neck, with your ears between your arms. While keeping your arms straight, straighten your legs as much as you can, and visualize your heels dropping towards the floor. Work up to holding “down dog” for 6 to 8 breaths, balancing your weight between your arms and legs, and working towards an upside-down V-shape with straight knees. As a yoga for weight loss posture, downward dog is one of the most effective for long term muscle development.



4. Uttihita Chaturanga Dandasana or Plank Pose
The plank asana strengthens your core and arm muscles, making it a perfect yoga for weight loss posture. When you feel your arms burning, pull your abdominal muscles up and in to give your arms a break.


How to do it
From downward-facing dog, step your legs back one at a time so you are in the classic push-up position, as straight as a plank of wood. If you’re feeling energetic and nimble, try jumping both of your feet back together. Your weight is distributed between your hands and your toes. Take your mind off of your arms by concentrating on fighting gravity with your abdominal muscles. Pull them up and in. Your first time, you may hold this for one breath before collapsing. Work up to a full minute.


 

5. Vasisthasana or Side Plank Pose
Like plank pose, the side plank asana looks easier than it is—so concentrate on aligning your body and engaging the muscles along your sides. When practicing yoga for weight loss, a slow, steady pace will help you reach your goals. This pose works your oblique muscles, as well as your shoulders, legs and rear.


How to do it
From the plank position, shift your weight to your right arm and your right toe. Turn your right foot so the outside edge is on the floor. See if you can balance. Can you lift your right hand? Adjust as necessary. Stack your left foot on top or your right and put your left hand on your left hip. You’re balanced on your right hand and the outside edge of your right foot. Press up through your right arm and out through your feet, keeping your body straight. Again, it may help to imagine your body as straight as a plank of wood. When you feel ready, stretch your left arm toward the ceiling. After a few seconds, go back to plank and repeat on the other side. Work up to a half minute.


 

6. Virabhadrasana or Warrior II Pose
Yoga for weight loss exercises work major muscles in the lower body to build muscle. Warrior II builds muscles in the quadriceps, as well as the glutes and hamstrings.


How to do it
Stand with your feet together, hands at your sides and your eyes forward. As you exhale, take a big step forward about the length of your leg with your right foot. At the same time, point your right arm forward and your left arm back. With your left toes turned out about 45 degrees, concentrate on balancing your weight between your front (right) and your back (left) feet, putting real energy into the back leg. Your hips, eyes and right arm all face forward, as if you are going into battle. On your next exhale, bend your right knee until your right thigh is parallel with the floor, continuing to hold your left leg steady. Look forward in the direction your right toes and arm are pointing, and hold for 6 to 8 breaths. Stand up straight and reverse.
To conclude, try going back to tree pose, and see how different it feels now. Do you feel stronger and more balanced? Yoga involves using large muscle groups and burning calories by flowing from one pose to another. Combining these asanas with a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle are a long term approach to successfully practicing yoga for weight loss—as well a strong body and a calm mind.